Thursday, May 12, 2011

couldn't be that way

"What is going on with you?" Noel asked as soon as he got dinner out of the way. No way was he taking their mom to the usual pizza bung hole place. They were going to the ritzy high rise near the hotel she was staying in. Of course, Noel took care of the bill. His little brother still hadn't found a job.

Naturally, his Mom was OK with that. She was just happy to see them. And, honestly, Noel didn't want to be alone with her. He needed Logan's help, but he was practically useless. All quiet. His mind a million miles away. But now they had his Mom back to pack, he took Logan home.

It was then that Noel looked down at what was under Logan's bed. He couldn't take his eyes off it. No, a snake had not shed its skin. He noticed the condom wrapper nearby.

"Oh, so that's what is going on." He picked up the foil wrapper and shoved it at Logan. "God, does Alex know what you're doing?"

Logan cleared his throat and finally... shook his head, no. He tossed it in the trash.

"You better not be in love," Noel said it like a warning. He felt it once, but it slipped away like a wet noodle, he thought now. He didn't want to ever sense it again. It was best to feel nothing. That way, you never got hurt. It was his theory, anyway.

Logan gave him a silly shrug.

"Oh, God." Noel scowled. "Are you serious?"

"I dunno." Logan barely said under his breath as he sighed.

"Your brains are gonna be sludge and you won't know what to do, will you?" Noel gave his brother a dead stare.

"I'm being careful." Logan winced.

"Well, you better hope she's on the pill." Noel forced some wisdom on Logan. "I bet its that Sammi, isn't it? You finally fucked her?"

"God, you would be this disgusting romantic, wouldn't you?" Noel gave Logan a playful shove. But it had an aggression to it. Like the need to beat someone up.

"So what!" Logan pushed back just as hard. Harder than Noel ever expected. It was even a shock. But not for long. They were in a shoving match. Noel didn't even know why they were fighting. Maybe it was about their Mom. Maybe it actually was. He hadn't felt this alive in a long time.